Bengaluru
The ambitious Bangalore Suburban Rail Project (BSRP) is encountering significant hurdles in its implementation due to land acquisition delays and discrepancies between proposed and requested land allotments. The Karnataka Railway Infrastructure Development Company (K-RIDE), responsible for executing the project, is facing challenges related to land acquisition from the South Western Railway, resulting in impeded progress. The project, envisaged to alleviate urban transportation woes, particularly in corridors like the 24 km Baiyappanahalli to Chikkabanavara stretch, has witnessed partial progress on the Jasmine route, with a mere 12% of the work completed. However, substantial hindrances have emerged regarding the allocation of necessary railway land for the project’s multiple corridors. According to the Suburban Rail Project Detailed Project Report (DPR), initial plans proposed allotting 327 acres for four corridors. However, the current request stands at 351.484 acres, primarily for the Jasmine and Kanaka Corridors. Notably, the South Western Railway had handed over more land than originally proposed for the Mallige Corridor, amounting to 157.07 acres. Challenges intensified as K-RIDE sought an additional 194.414 acres for the Kanaka Corridor, a significant increase from the 115.50 acres initially projected in the DPR. The South Western Railway, expressing concerns, highlighted that K-RIDE’s requests amounted to 261.36% more land for the BSRP than previously planned. Moreover, the absence of proposals detailing land requirements for the remaining two corridors—Sampige and Parijata—has led to delays. K-RIDE’s incomplete submission regarding land requisition for these corridors has stalled progress, despite available land parcels of 115.5 acres for Sampige and 42.12 acres for Parijata near the South Western Railway. The South Western Railway has escalated concerns by formally addressing the Railway Board, seeking clarification and approval regarding the increased land demands by K-RIDE for the BSRP. This appeal underscores the discrepancy between proposed land allotments and the substantial requests made during the project’s execution phase. The delay caused by the land acquisition challenges and discrepancies between projected and requested land allotments has stymied progress on critical corridors, hindering the initiation of work and raising substantial operational concerns for the BSRP’s comprehensive rollout.
